The Students of Hogwarts
by The Sorting Hat
Summary: Set in the same time period as CoS, this story brings in new characters to give a view of what the other Hogwarts Houses were like! Appearances will be made by the original characters on several occasions.
1. The Sorting of Friends

Disclaimer: We do not own any characters from Harry Potter; they belong solely to J. K. Rowling and her wonderful imagination. The other characters, however, that are not found in the original books, belong to us! After all, they are us!  
  
Author's Note: This story is to provide the readers with a view of what Hogwart's school would have been like for other students. This story begins during in the same time period as the CoS.  
  
Rating: G  
  
Title: The Students of Hogwarts  
  
"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,  
  
But don't judge on what you see,  
  
I'll eat myself if you can find  
  
A smarter hat than me.  
  
You can keep your bowlers black,  
  
Your top hats sleek and tall,  
  
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat  
  
And I can cap them all."  
  
~ Excerpt from J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.  
  
Chapter One  
  
The Sorting of Friends  
  
Prof. McGonagall ushered the first years into the Great Hall. They glanced in awe at the bewitched ceiling of midnight blue that was sprinkled with glittering stars. The floating candles gave the minimally lit room a mystical appeal as Ema Weasley walked with her friends. Coming to a halt in front of what appeared to be a worn out hat sitting upon a stool, she listened as Prof. McGonagall explained the ritual to them.  
  
It took only a few minutes for the sorting to begin. "Brigstone, Jeminal," McGonagall said. A rather thin looking boy with short-cropped hair of stiff, golden curls, made his way nervously to the hat. After a few moments of complete silence, the hat announced, "SLYTHERIN!" His lips curled into an almost wicked smile as he made his way towards the Slytherin's table. Then there was Brimstock, Ashley who was sorted into Ravenclaw. As they went down the list, Ema quickly felt anxiety building in her.  
  
"You guys, what if we get split into different houses?" She asked, voicing a concern that had been preying on her mind for weeks.  
  
"Don't worry," Cris said, turning around to face her friend.  
  
"Yah, if you don't make it into my house," Alex said, her mouth twisting into a devious smile, "I can turn you into a spider and keep you in my pocket!"  
  
Ema pursed her lips.  
  
"At least they won't separate you two."  
  
"Don't be too sure," Cris said, frowning, wondering what would happen if she were separated from her sister.  
  
"Lecssont, Lyssa" McGonagall said. The tall, thin girl approached the hat. McGonagall noted that she didn't seem the least bit nervous or anxious like the rest of the first years. The rim of the hat soon engulfed Lyssa's soft blue eyes as she put it on. It took a minute or too, then the hat cried, "HUFFLEPUFF!" Removing the hat from her head, Lyssa straightened her disheveled hair. She greeted the other Hufflepuffs and then returned her attention to the ceremony. They're halfway done now, she thought, tucking a strand of her short, sand colored hair behind her ear.  
  
The next boy up was Malich, Dragston. Dragston's icy blue eyes darted to his brother, sitting at the Slytherin table. Quickly, he put the hat on over his thick head of greasy black hair. The hat barely went on when it cried, "SLYTHERIN!" Dragston grinned wildly as he made his way to his older brother. "Good job," Goyle said, congratulating him. "Thanks," Dragston said, happy that he had pleased his brother. He quickly noted that his brother was sitting next to Draco Malfoy, his father's friend's son. Well, Goyle certainly picks good company, Dragston thought happily. He couldn't wait to meet his brother's friends.  
  
Lyssa suppressed a yawn. She had to admit that once she had been sorted, it was no longer quite as interesting to watch the others. She turned her lean face to scan the remaining first years. I wonder how many of them will be Hufflepuffs, she thought, silently playing an estimating game in her head.  
  
Ema began to rub her sweaty palms. Why am I so nervous? she wondered. She looked up at her two friends, noting that Cris seemed to be staring out at something in the crowd. Ema looked quizzically at Alex who had also noticed her sister's actions.  
  
"Probably a cute boy," Alex said with a roll of her eyes.  
  
"Vicssen, Alexandra," called Prof. McGonagall. Alex tossed her head back, her numerous braids whipping around her head in a dark brown fury, as she made her way to the hat. Ema grinned nervously watching as the hat sorted her friend. In what seemed like ages the sorting hat finally said, "HUFFLEPUFF." Alex's face darkened slightly. Hufflepuff? She thought, as she made her way to the table. There's no way I'm patient enough to be a Hufflepuff, Alex scoffed. Well at least I'm not in Slytherin. Alex had always pictured herself in Gryffindor. She forced a smile as she joined the other Hufflepuffs, sitting next to Lyssa, who nodded in greeting to the new addition of Hufflepuffs.  
  
"Vicssen, Cristel," made its way to Alex's ears, and she quickly snapped back into attention to watch as her sister walked toward the hat. Cris nervously twisted a strand of her straight, sandy blonde hair on her finger as her hazel green eyes scanned the crowd. C'mon Cris, Alex mental prayed, try for Hufflepuff! Gingerly, Cris placed the hat on her head. It immediately covered her hair and eyes. "RAVENCLAW!" the hat announced, after only a moment's time. Cris locked eyes with her twin, eyes wide with confusion. I'm in Ravenclaw, Cris repeated mentally over and over in her head as though she couldn't believe she wouldn't be in the same house as her sister. Reluctantly, she made her way to the table of Ravenclaws who happily greeted her to their house.  
  
"Weasley, Ginny," McGonagall announced. Ema turned to see a girl with the same fiery red hair as she did put the sorting hat on. Weasley? Ema thought, there's another Weasley here? And with the same red hair- Her train of thought was interrupted as the sorting hat finally called "GRYFFINDOR!" Loud cheers exploded from the table and Ema watched the girl join a group of boys that seemed to be her brothers. Hmm...seems like there's more than one Weasley here, and all with red hair. Maybe mom forgot to mention something...  
  
Cris and Alex were both surprised to see that Ema still hadn't been called yet. They had figured there had been an alphabetical mistake. "Wood, Ashton," McGonagall said. The sorting hat decided that the timid brunette belonged in Hufflepuff. Alex eyed the young girl. She seemed to be making eye contact with an older Gryffindor. She mouthed the words `I'm sorry' to him and he seemed to smile and mouth the words `it's ok' back. When Ashton sat down at the Hufflepuff table Alex smiled at her. The girl seemed a bit down.  
  
Alex gave Ema a confused look before hearing her name being called.  
  
"Last, and certainly not least, "McGonagall said, "Zlue, Ema." Ema grimaced at the use of her stepfather's name. Nervously, she sat on the stool and slowly put the hat on her head. The names Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw kept bouncing back and forth in her mind. She had hoped that both her friends and herself would be in the same house- "RAVENCLAW!" the hat announced, cutting Ema's thoughts short.  
  
Ema glanced unsurely at the Ravenclaw table. Well at least I'm with Cris, Ema thought, making her way purposely to the empty seat next to Cris.  
  
"Did your mom tell them that your last name was Zlue?" Cris asked.  
  
"Probably," Ema groaned.  
  
"Why don't you just tell her you want to go back to the name Weasley?" Cris asked.  
  
"Because talking about dad breaks her heart and she always goes into long crying spells," Ema said a bit sadly. "I can't do that to her." Cris nodded understandingly.  
  
"Well I'm glad you're a Ravenclaw, Ms. Zlue," Cris said, teasingly. Ema just glared at her friend.  
  
The conversation quickly came to an end as Albus Dumbledore stood to speak. After a few words from the headmaster himself, they all joined in to sing the Hogwart's School Song. Then, the feast began! 


	2. Welcome to Ravenclaw

Chapter Two  
  
Welcome to Ravenclaw  
  
Ema and Cris followed the group of Ravenclaw's to their room. Led by a Prefect, who had introduced herself as Mary, they were shown how to enter the room using the password `lizard gizzard.' They went up the stairs to the girls' dormitory. They noticed their trunks had already been brought up for them.  
  
"Ugh!" Cris complained, seeing her sister's cat curled up comfortably on her pillow.  
  
"Get out of here, Nightshade!" she said.  
  
The cat groggily stood up, then, taking her time, she stretched leaving a small claw rip on the pillowcase. The black cat hopped off the bed, and then with a hiss, she turned and left the room.  
  
"I hate cats," Cris mumbled, before going through her stuff looking for her opened package of `Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans' that she had brought with her. She offered some to Ema. Ema took a popcorn flavored one before suggesting they go down to the common room to meet other Ravenclaw's.  
  
Ashley Brimstock sat in one of the most comfortable chairs of the Ravenclaw common room. The older year students had scurried off to bed after the feast, but most of the first years were still too excited to sleep. Her brown eyes darted from person to person and immediately caught sight of bright red hair. Hopping up from her chair she walked over to the corner Ema and Cris were standing in, talking.  
  
"Hey!" she greeted, as she approached them. "The name's Ashley."  
  
"I'm Cris and this is Ema," Cris introduced.  
  
"Nice to meet you," Ashley said. "I was rather surprised when they called your name as Zlue. I thought you were going to be a Weasley," she said to Ema.  
  
"I am," Ema said, confused. "But I have no clue as to who Ginny was," referring to the only other redheaded first year.  
  
"Why'd they call you by Zlue then?" Ashley asked, not sure the girl was telling her the truth.  
  
"It's my step dad's name," Ema tried to explain, "It upsets my mom to think about my dad, so she changed my name. My real last name is Weasley though."  
  
"Ah, I get it," Ashley said. "But you aren't related to the other Weasleys then?"  
  
"I don't think so," Ema said. "I've never met them before. My dad died when I was two, so I don't really know that much about him."  
  
"Doesn't matter I guess," Ashley said, shrugging. "But it would've been cool to have the first Weasley that wasn't in Gryffindor be in the same house as me."  
  
"You do, well sort of," Ema said, grinning. Cris arched an eyebrow; she didn't like to be the only one without something to add to a conversation.  
  
"Who's up for a game of Wizard's Chess?" Cris asked.  
  
"I'll play you," Ashley said, beginning to pull various chess pieces out of her pockets. Cris giggled at the scene.  
  
"Do you always carry them with you?" Cris asked referring to the chess pieces.  
  
"Yes, I love to play!" Ashley said, showing Cris and Ema her worn out pieces. "I should be getting a new set for Christmas!" she said, hopefully.  
  
Cris and Ashley played chess while Ema looked on, only halfway paying attention. She kept thinking about the other redheaded Weasleys she had seen. 


	3. Welcome to Hufflepuff

Chapter Three  
  
Welcome to Hufflepuff  
  
Lyssa made herself comfortable on her bed. She had the book she wanted to finish lying open in front of her, but instead she was watching the other first years busying themselves with things around the room.  
  
"Night Shade?" Alex said, ducking to look under her bed, leaving some clothes strewn across her bed. She stood back up dusting herself. Where was that cat-  
  
"Hey!" Alex said quickly forgetting her black cat was missing and beginning to pull a sock away from a white and gray speckled kitten. "Blizzard! That's the fifth one this week!" She quickly tried to cast a spell that would stitch the rips up, but it only succeeded in turning the sock different colors.  
  
"I hate charms," Alex mumbled, tossing the sock to the floor. "I never get them right." She glanced up when she heard a soft giggle to see a thin girl looking at her.  
  
"Funny, eh?" Alex said, good-naturedly.  
  
"Yes," Lyssa said, smiling. "Here let me help." Lyssa bent down and picked the sock up. She mumbled a couple of words and flicked her wand. The sock returned to its normal white color and there wasn't a single rip to be seen.  
  
"Wow, you're pretty good!" Alex said, tossing a few stray braids back over her shoulder. "I'm Alex, by the way."  
  
"Lyssa Lecssont," the girl replied.  
  
Blizzard hissed and lunged at Lyssa's hand that held the sock.  
  
"BLIZZARD!" Alex yelled as she quickly reached down to catch the kitten in the middle of his jump.  
  
"Sorry, he really likes socks," Alex said, glaring at the kitten. She sat on the edge of her bed, holding Blizzard prisoner in her lap.  
  
"He's a feisty one," Lyssa commented, dangling the sock in front of his nose, letting him paw at it as she playfully swung it back and forth.  
  
"Is this anyone's cat?" A girl asked, walking into the room holding an old, black cat that had fallen asleep in her arms. Alex recognized Night Shade at once.  
  
"Oh, you found her!" Alex said, releasing Blizzard and jumping up from the bed.  
  
"Thanks!" Alex said, taking the cat from her.  
  
"No problem. She just fell asleep by the fireplace in the common room," Ashton explained. Night Shade quickly found her way to the pillow, falling asleep again, twitching her tail occasionally, which kept Blizzard pre-occupied for the moment.  
  
"Ashton Wood," the girl said, smiling.  
  
"I'm Lyssa and this is Alex," Lyssa introduced.  
  
Alex grinned, quickly scooping up her scattered clothes off the bed and stuffing them in her trunk.  
  
"So, got a favorite Quidditch team?" Alex asked, starting a conversation with her new friends that would last long into the night. 


End file.
